1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to packaging assemblies and, more particularly, to packaging assemblies having a product display window and means to prevent removal of the product through the window.
2. Background of the Invention
Typically, warehouse shopping clubs, such as Costco and Sam's Club, require manufacturers to ship products according to very strict guidelines. These guidelines ensure that products are adequately protected during shipment, yet are convenient to handle on the warehouse floor and ready to display. To conform to the physical set-up of these warehouse clubs and to minimize their operational costs, the warehouse clubs prefer product packaging that enables a large number of product units to be placed at one time at the point-of-sale, with easy access to and viewing of the product. Typically, these clubs receive bulk products shipped and packaged on pallets. The clubs place the pallets directly on the sales floor.
In following these packaging guidelines, the challenge for the manufacturers is in striking the appropriate balance between adequately protecting the products from damage and minimizing the amount of handling necessary to display the products on the store floor. Further complicating this balance, the manufacturers generally favor plastic individual product packaging, such as clamshell packages or blister packs, because it is inexpensive and deters theft. Plastic packaging has the additional benefit of enabling the actual product to be viewable by consumers. Such packaging, however, is more susceptible to shipping damage and more difficult to display in bulk form (e.g., typical clamshells were originally intended to hang and will not stand up on their own). As a result, manufacturers and warehouse clubs are in a constant search for packaging that ships and protects the inexpensive plastic individual product packaging, and allows the easy handling and display of the products on the store floor.
A packaging assembly aimed at meeting the guidelines of warehouse clubs was described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,979,662; 6,050,420; 6,152,305; 6,367,632; and 6,427,842. This assembly has two distinguishing features. First, it requires that the plastic individual product packaging provide the support which allows multiple assemblies to be stacked on top of each other. Second, it relies on pairs of slots in the side panels of the base of the assembly alone to hold the plastic individual product packaging in place.
In order for the individual product packaging to provide support for the assembly, it must be strengthened beyond what is necessary to perform its primary functions of product protection, display, and theft deterrence. In order for the base of the assembly alone to hold the individual product packaging, it must also be strengthened beyond what is necessary to support and protect the assembly. Strengthening both the individual product packaging and the base of the assembly increases the overall cost and complexity of the packaging assembly. Accordingly, it can be appreciated that a substantial need exists for packaging assemblies that meet the guidelines of warehouse clubs and produce the lowest overall increase in packaging costs and complexity.